AP Executive consultants can assist you with jobs in Asia. If you are interested in working in Asia please peruse the information provided for you below or contact us to discuss further options.
Our Executive Search Asia services can help you if you are considering relocating to Asia, or if you wish to recruit for your Asian office.
Asia is the world’s largest continent, covering about 30% of the Earth’s land surface. With a population of approximately 4.4 billion, Asia comprises of 48 countries, six independent states and other territories. It is a multilingual and multicultural continent, with different ethnic groups throughout Asia. The continent is divided into smaller sub-regions according to geographical and cultural features, such as East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, North Asia and West Asia (also referred to as Middle East). East Asia consists of China, Japan, North Korea, and South Korea, while South Asia is made up of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan. Singapore, one of Asia’s biggest financial hubs, is in Southeast Asia.
With tremendous growth in the Asian economy, primarily driven by China, India and Japan, the focus has shifted from the West to these emerging economies. The dynamic and sophisticated financial services sector has proven to be the major attraction for asset managers, investment bankers and other financial professionals from the West. After the economic downturn, Asia has also emerged as a potentially lucrative investment destination for foreign companies, offering a hospitable, business-friendly environment. The finance sector in Asia is quite diverse, including public and private banking, insurance, stock exchange, asset management, hedge funds, bonds and equity.
Asia is home to some vitally important business centres. English is widely spoken in the business world here and large cities tend to be easily accessible to ex-pats. The finance and legal sectors here are strong, and with the Asian market strengthening now is a key time to think about the possibilities offered here. With greater job stability and tax-friendly environment, the lure for a lucrative career in these emerging markets is high. Most companies are also moving senior finance roles offshore, so opportunities for executive level professionals in Asia are more than ever before.
Settling into business in Asia need not be a daunting prospect - according to the World Bank's Doing Business 2015 Report, Singapore has remained as the easiest place to do business in the world for the 9th consecutive year, thanks to its grasp of languages (it has 4 official languages, including English), cosmopolitan culture and the political stability that has led the government to invest in economic development.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong is an important business centre as the "gateway to China". As the Chinese market is continually expanding and increasing in global importance, so Hong Kong is increasing in status as a vital location. Quality of life in these large cities is generally high and most have a large ex-pat community.
An Employment Pass is usually required to work in Singapore, which can be obtained once you have a job offer, and working in Hong Kong requires a visa from the Chinese embassy. Hong Kong is keen to maintain its status as an international business hub so emigration there tends to be straightforward.
For more information, visit our Singapore and Hong Kong relocation pages.